


Tonight You Belong To Me

by Essieexol



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends, M/M, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2020-06-03 20:18:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19471426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Essieexol/pseuds/Essieexol
Summary: Four years after losing contact with the person who made his days brighter, Jongin receives a message that brings back all the memories and the hope for a second chance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, dear reader.  
> This story has been in the works for a while. It is loosely based on personal experience so I was hesitant to bring it to light, but the events that inspired the story are very dear to me and I would like to share them.  
> Title from [this song](https://youtu.be/cUhnQzjXHHY)  
> Thank you for taking time to read and I hope you enjoy!

_“Hey Jongin,_

_How are you, buddy? It’s been a long time. Can’t believe we’ve been so bad at staying in touch. I didn’t mean to let this much time go by, but you know how bad I am when I get busy. Listen, I’ll be flying back next week to see my parents for a few weeks. Let’s catch up while I’m in town. I’ll be around, so let me know when you have time to grab dinner. I miss you.”_

_I miss you._

Jongin read the message for the fifth time trying to figure out what to say, or if he should say anything at all. 

Jongin had been ready to unwind after a long day of work. He had stopped by the store to pick up groceries for dinner on his way home. It had been a while since his last home-cooked meal, and he felt like going all out tonight. He had already finished cleaning up and was getting ready to sit down with a glass of wine and old _Friends_ reruns when he had received the message. 

Truthfully speaking, the message shouldn’t have come as a surprise. After all, Chanyeol and Jongin were friends. Had been best friends throughout their college years. Moreover, there hadn’t been a dramatic fight or a real reason for them to lose contact other than being busy. Nevertheless, four years had passed since they had last communicated past standard birthday wishes and holiday greetings. They stayed up to date with each other’s lives through their social media accounts, so Jongin couldn’t exactly say he didn’t know what Chanyeol had been up to all this time. But, it had been four years since Chanyeol had moved to D.C. with Yifan to start a new life. Time and distance had been enough to create a drift between them.

Jongin still remembers their last night together. They had met up for drinks at their favorite bar downtown. Yifan had left early to finish packing leaving the friends to say their last goodbyes. They had spent the night reminiscing about their time in college- when they stayed out late drinking almost every night only to show up hungover for work the next day. They had thought themselves invincible then, and the feeling had carried over post grad. They were college graduates ready to take on the world. 

Four years later, they had both gone on to have more or less successful careers. 

Chanyeol had been lucky to land his dream job right out of college. Working at the American Historical Association had been Chanyeol’s goal ever since Jongin had met him, and he had been quick to leave his life in California behind to follow his dreams when he had received the job offer.

Jongin supposes he had been lucky too. After graduating with a Bachelor’s in English, he hadn’t been sure where life would take him. He had applied to all kinds of positions after graduation, and had soon found a job in a marketing company. It wasn’t what he had pictured when he had pursued his degree, but it paid the bills and he was more or less content with his job. His personal life, on the other hand, had been a very different story.

Saying life after graduation had been difficult for Jongin to adjust to would be a great understatement. 

Jongin had believed he needed to have it all figured out right away, but job hunting and losing his best friend had proven difficult for him to deal with. Finding himself without the one person he relied on most after moving away from home, Jongin had sought company in a series of short term relationships and hookups that left him drained and alone. After two years of failed relationships, Jongin had simply decided to focus on himself. 

Even after landing the job, life hadn’t been easy at first. Jongin had not been prepared to deal with the long hours at the office, and it had felt like he no longer had time to do any of the things he enjoyed most. His nights, which had once been filled with loud music and his best friend’s rumbling laugh, were devoid of the usual noise he had come to expect after a tough day. It had been a big change for Jongin, but after spending so much time wanting to fill the silence with relationships and late nights, he had learned to treasure the solitude of his apartment.

He still had the occasional outing with Sehun and Jongade, but he no longer felt like he was running away from something. It had taken years, and countless drunken nights for Jongin to stop fearing the thoughts that often plagued his mind late at night. His friends had been there through it all, whining, and grumbling about Jongin’s antics. But still supporting him when he needed them most. 

Despite his many failed relationships, Jongin’s friends never asked, and he never spoke of the true reason behind his insistence on finding a partner. Deep down, Jongin thinks they knew. It wasn’t difficult to guess why their friend’s attitude had undergone a change after Chanyeol left. Everyone knew how close the two friends had been

After a friendship that seemed to have blossomed overnight, the pair had been inseparable. When the two weren’t stuck at the coffee shop where they worked, they could be found hanging out in their favorite corner of the library. They hardly ever got any studying done at the library, but they enjoyed their own cozy corner all the same.

Now, four years later, as Jongin was faced with the prospect of seeing his best friend again, he couldn’t help but wonder if his friendship with Chanyeol would remain the same or if the time apart had changed the man he had once called his best friend.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I am so sorry this chapter took forever.  
> I have no excuses other than I didn't know how to go about writing this.  
> I hope it was worth the wait. ♡

_“Hey Chanyeol,  
it’s been a long time. I miss you too.”_

***

“Hey, buddy, over here” Jongin turned and walked over to the table, drink in hand. 

“Long time, no see, hyung” he said exchanging smiles with the occupants across the table as he sat down.

It had been a while since Jongin had seen Jongdae and Sehun, so he was excited to finally have a chance to catch up. They were meeting at their favorite bar downtown after a month of unsuccessful attempts to meet up. They knew it was usually like this, always making plans to see each other, but someone always cancelling at the last minute—usually Jongin. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed them.

“It wouldn’t be if you stopped pretending to be busy all the time, Jongin. We know you’re just home watching tv in your underwear and avoiding our messages half the time.” Sehun looked a little too pleased by his comment. Jongdae had the audacity to chuckle at the jab.

On second thought, he hadn’t missed them at all. Especially not Sehun. 

“Shut up, brat, _I am busy._ ” pouted Jongin. He couldn’t exactly deny the accusation, but that didn’t mean he’d let Sehun think he was right. 

“How have you been, Jongin? I heard you have been staying late at work again. Please tell me you’re not drowning yourself with too much work.” The look on Jongdae’s face was nothing if not concerned. Leave it to his friend to always worry about Jongin’s well-being.

“Ugh no, hyung. It’s just a last minute deadline, but it will be over soon. I’m sorry I have been MIA recently, but I promise, I am taking good care of myself.” Jongin felt guilty now. He knew he needed to be better at answering his friends’ calls and messages, but sometimes, he didn’t feel like talking after a long day. Not lately at least.

“Well, I hope it’s sooner rather than later.” Said Sehun smiling. “I heard Chanyeol is coming back this weekend, and he plans to stay for few weeks.” So, everyone knew. Jongin should have expected it, but he was taken aback by the turn in the conversation. 

“Yeah, I heard.” Jongin tried to look nonchalant, but the tone of his voice betrayed the anxiety he was feeling. 

He had successfully avoided thinking about it since he had received Chanyeol’s message two weeks ago. It had been easy to lose himself in his work, staying later than usual and making it a habit to crash as soon as he got home. Thinking about it, it was silly of him to revert to his old avoidance techniques. He knew it was pointless to try to ignore the issue, but the reply he had attempted to send sat in his drafts as a glaring reminder that he had yet to mentally prepare himself to see Chanyeol again. 

“He messaged me last week. Seemed really excited to catch up with all of us, but judging by your expression, I’d say you don’t share his sentiment.” said Jongdae frowning. There it was again that look of concern on his friend’s face, Jongdae was always quick to pick up on Jongin’s emotions. “Yeah, tell us, what’s on your mind?” Sehun, for all his teasing, looked concerned too. Knowing him, he was probably starting to regret bringing it up.

“It’s nothing.” Jongin took a swig of his drink throwing a smile to dispel the awkward mood that had developed. “I’m excited, it’s just that I remembered I haven’t gotten around to replying to his message yet.” He hoped he sounded convincing.

“Huh.” Sehun smiled playfully. “Good to know we aren’t the only ones getting ignored. I guess you really were busy then.” Jongin could tell he was going to drop the subject despite looking like he had more to say. Sehun had always liked to tease him about only being good at answering Chanyeol’s texts. Seems he hadn’t forgotten.

Jongin smiled back. He knew it had to be awkward for his friends and he felt bad for making them feel like they couldn’t bring up Chanyeol around him. The pair had been Chanyeol’s friends first— having met Jongin through Chanyeol— had shared more experiences with him, had probably found Chanyeol much better company than Jongin could ever be. 

***

It was during the summer after his freshman year. Jongin was still new to the area after moving the previous year when he started college. Leaving home had been very difficult on Jongin but he knew it had been the best decision. Although he had not managed to make friends during his first year, he had a few acquaintances that helped make his first year bearable. Nevertheless, they were the sort of friends he talked to in class, but awkwardly avoided if he ever saw them around campus. He hadn’t minded during the semester, since he had been focused on getting through his classes, and finishing his first year. But, now that the semester was over, Jongin found himself feeling bored and lonely. So, with nothing better to do, he had decided to get a job at the coffeeshop a few blocks from his apartment.

Jongin hadn’t thought much the job at first. The work wasn’t too difficult. He got to serve coffee and chat with the regulars, and his bosses— a young newlywed couple— were nice and accommodating. Not to mention the job had been a good excuse for him to stay away from the heat of his apartment during the day. Jongin still wasn’t used to California summers, so it had been a blessing for him to get to spend time in a place that had the AC running during the hottest hours. 

The best part of the job, however, had been meeting Chanyeol. 

Chanyeol was well-liked by everyone. He had a sort of natural charm that drew people in instantly. He had the innate ability to start a conversation with anyone and everyone. Even at the coffee shop, the tall man always seemed to know just what to say to every customer, always eager to share details about his life, his studies, his hobbies, and equally as enthusiastic about wanting to know more about others.

Jongin wasn’t boring per say, but he couldn’t say his personality attracted people in the same way. He was the sort of person that needed time to warm up to others and it showed. 

Meeting new people had always been difficult for him. Back home, he had been surrounded by a sizable group of friends, but ever since moving away to attend college, Jongin had found himself unable to strike conversation with others. He had never considered himself an introvert, but he was finding that having to interact with so many people at the café every day was more overwhelming than he had initially anticipated. 

This hadn’t been an obstacle for Chanyeol. The charming man had cornered Jongin on his first day, and the two had immediately struck a conversation. After a few hours of talking, the two realized they had a few things in common—they seemed to like the same bands, the same foods, and both enjoyed reading over binge-watching shows. It hadn’t been long before the two exchanged numbers, and from then on became good friends. 

Hanging out with Chanyeol had been such a refreshing change for Jongin. Despite how quickly he had befriended the taller, Jongin hadn’t had the opportunity to feel awkward around him. Chanyeol always knew what to say to make Jongin feel at ease in spite of his more reserved personality. 

After spending the year feeling like an outsider, Chanyeol had immersed him in his world in the span of one summer. He dragged Jongin to the cool places, took him to his favorite restaurants, and introduced him to a few of his friends, Jongdae and Sehun being his oldest and closest of the bunch. Soon, Jongin had found a place in their late nights and playful conversations. It had been like everything about Chanyeol, casual and uncomplicated.

After that summer, Jongin had grown accustomed to the feeling of belonging once again. It had felt so natural to be around the taller, that Jongin never questioned the rush he felt every time he got to spend time with Chanyeol. He had felt so drawn by the energy and liveliness that surrounded his friends that he hadn’t realized how much he had come to depend on them. 

***

If Jongin thought moving away from home and building a life in a new place had been challenging, meeting Chanyeol—loving him the way he had—and losing him had felt downright impossible. 

But, he had done it. Jongin had painstakingly picked up the pieces of his life, and he had built a stable life for himself. He hadn’t done it alone, but he no longer depended on others to help him feel a sense of belonging. After struggling to find himself in the hollowness of his failed relationships, he had come to terms with the fact that his friendship with Chanyeol had been one of those rare, special connections that don’t just happen. 

Unlike most of the people he met during his period of serial dating, Chanyeol never expected Jongin to be anything other than himself. He never demanded that Jongin changed his plans, never complained that Jongin spent too much time reading and too little paying attention to him,never minded Jongin’s reserved personality; he never asked him to speak more, be more, feel more, love him more. 

No, Chanyeol never asked Jongin to love him, that had been all his doing alone. Chanyeol didn’t have any expectations because he never once looked at Jongin the way his past lovers had. He didn’t have to worry about Jongin being emotionally unavailable because he had never held back his affection for Chanyeol. He had loved him openly and willingly. And in return, Chanyeol had been his best friend and his biggest support. It hadn’t mattered to Jongin that his feelings were not returned because he felt happy just being around Chanyeol. 

That is, until he began to share Chanyeol’s attention with others. That’s when he realized he wanted more, so much more.

First had come Irene during sophomore year. Their relationship had been easy and fun like many things were when it came to Chanyeol. They had dated for a few months before Irene had left for a year abroad in England. They had tried to make it work; tried doing Skype calls to keep in touch, but the time difference and the distance made it difficult for them to stay in touch. They had lasted one month apart before they both decided to end things. 

It had been difficult for Chanyeol, but Jongin had been there, ready to help his friend move on. 

Then, it was Wendy. She had come at a time when Chanyeol was vulnerable and had been too invested in making their relationship work. He had given his all to her, but she hadn’t felt the same way about him. After six months, she had quietly ended things and walked away from his life. 

That breakup had been the most painful for Chanyeol. It had taken months for him to smile again, but Jongin had been there for him. He had sat quietly while his friend cried, had made sure his friend felt valued and cared for, had made sure Chanyeol didn’t let his grades fall. He had done his best to show Chanyeol just how important he was to him.

At the end, it had been Kris who had managed to return the smile to Chanyeol’s face. Kris who had created beautiful memories with Chanyeol, and who had kissed him made him feel loved again. 

***  
Jongin had _moved on_. 

He had picked up the pieces of his life and he had moved on. He didn’t need to see Chanyeol again. He didn’t need to pretend to be okay in front of Chanyeol when all he wanted was to be with him. He didn’t need false hope and the _what ifs_. 

But, Jongin wanted to see his friend again. Despite the pain he knew it would bring, his heart longed to meet Chanyeol again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I didn’t know how to approach this chapter, mostly because I feel like I needed to give a little background, but I was worried it would seem kind of random to jump back and explain so much. I hope it made sense.
> 
> It took a while to figure out what I wanted to say, but yesterday I met up with the friend who inspired this story, and it helped me work through some of my ideas for the story. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left kudos, comments, or simply took the time to read. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. :)


	3. Chapter 3

“Are you ready yet?” Said Sehun walking into the room looking bored.

"Come on, Jongin this is the third shirt you try on. Stop stalling and come out, we’re gonna be late.” Jongdae got up from the bed guiding Jongin into the hall. Guess this shirt would have to do. 

“Why are you so nervous anyway it’s just Chanyeol. He befriended you when you used to wear your ratty t-shirts and jeans combo everywhere you went, I don’t think you have to work too hard to impress him now.” Sehun could never miss a chance to remind Jongin of his not-so-fashionable college days. It wasn’t his fault that he was too broke to afford better clothes then, but he had made amends since getting a consistent paycheck and a more work appropriate wardrobe. 

“Shut up, I’m not stalling.” Jongin was pouting already. It wasn't helping his case.“it’s just been a while since I last went out to dinner and I just want to look nice. This has nothing to do with seeing Chanyeol.” 

Who was he kidding, Jongin knew his friends would not buy it for one second. After all, they knew he had been anxious about the meeting for weeks and had come over to his apartment to make sure he didn’t back out at the last minute. Damn his friends for knowing how much of a mess he’d be today and anticipating his attempt to run away by coming to pick him up. There was no getting out of it now, but at least it wouldn’t be so bad with both Jongdae and Sehun by his side. Besides, it’s not like Chanyeol would even know why he was so nervous to begin with. Jongin was worrying over nothing. He really needed to have a few beers and relax. 

“Whatever you say, dude. Let’s go before Chanyeol starts calling frantically thinking we stood him up.” Sehun opened the door and stepped into the hallway followed by Jongdae. Jongin grabbed his coat before following them out the door. They squeezed into Jongdae’s car and began the twenty minute drive to the restaurant. 

Most of the trip was filled by Jongdae and Sehun chatting casually about their week while Jongin listened and laughed along. It was difficult not to with Jongdae telling them about the latest installment of the annoying neighbor saga. Jongdae’s next door neighbor was a kind elderly man with an affinity for singing off-key every morning while tending to his garden. He had been dealing with the man’s terrible singing for over a year, but he was too nice to say anything, so he continued to suffer every morning. It would be funny if it wasn’t for the fact that it was getting in the way of him getting proper rest even on weekends. Sehun and Jongin had already advised him to approach the man and politely ask that he stopped, but Jongdae hadn’t found the courage to go through with that plan yet. In the meantime, the stories never failed to entertain them. 

They arrived at the restaurant to find a tall figure standing outside looking down at his phone. Sehun approached him first throwing himself at his friend and startling him into almost dropping his phone. Thankfully he was able to keep it from slipping from his hand and quickly pocketed it to crush Sehun into a warm embrace. Next came Jongdae who, judging by the crushing hug he enveloped Chanyeol in, was way too eager to see his high school friend again. They shared a laugh when they parted. Chanyeol clearly excited to know he had been missed by his friends as well. Lastly, Chanyeol looked up and made eye contact with a quiet Jongin, who was standing a few feet away from them as he stared at the scene before him. Chnayeol smiled for a few seconds before opening his arms and motioning for Jongin to come hug him as well. As soon as Jongin made contact with his chest, Chanyeol started petting his head and rocking him from side to side. 

Jongin felt frozen in time. The intimate gesture felt all too familiar. This was the way it had been between them before. Chanyeol had always been affectionate with all his friends but more so with Jongin. It was so strange to feel the comfort and warmth of his best friend once again, but it didn’t feel foreign. Despite all his worries, seeing Chanyeol felt so natural for him and he was starting to wonder why he ever thought it would be any different between them. Chanyeol was still the same. He still looked the same, smelled the same, felt the same. He was still his Chanyeol.

“God, Jongin. How are you?” After what felt like a long time, yet not enough for Jongin, Chanyeol let go in favor of making eye contact with Jongin again. 

“I was afraid you wouldn’t show. You never replied to my message. Did you change your number? Are you okay?” Chanyeol sounded relieved to see him, but the look of concern he was throwing his way betrayed his emotions. Of course he would think something bad had happened. Why else would his friend ignore his message for weeks. Jongin felt like an asshole for not replying and making Chanyeol worry. 

“He’s okay, Chanyeol.” Sehun cut in before Jongin had a chance to respond. He was smirking and looking gleeful by Chanyeol’s reaction. “And by the way, I’m okay too. Thanks for your concern, buddy.” He threw a mock annoyed look at the taller who smiled sheepishly before looking back at Jongin.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry I didn’t reply.” came Jongin’s response. He still felt awful about not sending that lousy message but he didn’t want to let that spoil the night. He would just have to make it up to Chanyeol in the coming weeks. 

“Ah, no worries. I’m so happy to see you guys.“ He said rubbing his head and smiling in that disarming way Jongin had missed so much. “I already asked for a table, but I think we will have to wait for a few more minutes.” 

The wait was filled by the friends chatting and catching up with what everyone had been up to the past four years. When they got to the table, they quickly got their orders out of the way and immediately went back to catching up. Jongdae told Chanyeol about his annoying neighbor, with Sehun and Jongin jumping in occasionally to add tidbits to the story. Chanyeol was just as delighted by the saga and had immediately requested to be introduced to the neighbor. 

At the end of the night, Chanyeol had parted ways with them and the rest had gone back in Jongdae's car. 

Back in his apartment, Jongin noticed that their dinner had felt like old times. Just the four friends sharing stories over food and laughing again. Chanyeol sitting next to Jongin, leaning to rest his head on his shoulder whenever he was listening to Jongdae and Sehun talk, filling the table with his warmth laugh and his happiness. Jongin hadn’t had an opportunity to feel anxious or uncomfortable during dinner. He had felt like belonged amidst the noise and chatter once again. It was a feeling he didn’t think he’d miss, but he was already starting to crave more nights like that again.

As Jongin got ready to go to bed, the distinct sound of a text message broke the silence of his apartment. Jongin went over to the side table next to his bed where his phone was charging to find a message from Chanyeol.

_“Hey, Jongin. I’m texting you again make sure you didn’t really change your number lol"  
"I know you know this but I’m gonna be here for the next three weeks and I want to hang out, so don’t ignore my messages anymore. I know you’re probably busy being a big shot but you better make time for me.”_

Jongin couldn’t help but smile reading the message. He could almost picture Chanyeol giving him the puppy-eyed look and begging him to pay attention to him. It was reassuring to know Chanyeol still wanted to hang out with him. Jongin’s mind helpfully supplied that Chanyeol hadn’t mentioned inviting Sehun and Jongdae along. It probably hadn’t been intentional but Jongin was already wishing he got to spend some one on one time with Chanyeol.

_“Three weeks you say? Hmmm.. I’m gonna have to check my calendar and let you know. I didn’t miss you that much. I think seeing you tonight was enough”_

_“Liar. Don’t be mean to me.”_  
 _“What are you doing tomorrow? Come hang out with me. Let’s hit up a museum or something. I’ll even treat you to lunch.“_  
 _“Come on you know you want to.”_

_“Haha fine. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”_

_“Yay! Goodnight, Jongin”_

_“Goodnight.”  
“P.s. You’re right, I missed your face”_

_“Ha. I knew it!”_  
“Goodnight :))”

Jongin didn't want to let his excitement get the best of him. It wasn't like things were going to be like they used to. Chanyeol was here for three weeks. Only three weeks. But, to Jongin, it felt like his best friend was back. 

How funny that seeing Chanyeol once was already enough to turn him into a hopeful mess. Jongin knew he needed to reign in his emotions before he got ahead of himself but, the thing was that he didn't want to be quiet this time. He had spent four years thinking and regretting not telling Chanyeol just how much he meant to him. He had already felt the weight of not making more of an effort to stay in touch. So, Jongin knew, if he wanted things to be the way they used to, he needed to show that he cared about reconnecting with Chanyeol. That meant spending time with him and getting to know his friend again. 

Maybe, just maybe Chanyeol would find a place in his heart for him this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has shown their love for this story. Truthfully, I've had a rough time lately and I was starting to lose motivation to write, but I kept getting your comments/kudos and it made me want to continue. Thank you so so much to every single one of you because I would have already given this up if it weren't for you.♡
> 
> With that being said, I don't know if this chapter was any good. I know it probably could have been longer, but I promise to try to advance the story in the coming days. My heart wants angst but I'm fighting to keep it light. Who knows!
> 
> Thanks again for reading!! 
> 
> p.s. I'm on [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/essieexol)  
> Let's be friends :))


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's been a while, but I finally got around to writing this episode.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy! :)

Jongin left his apartment promptly at 10:30a.m. to pick up Chanyeol for their museum _date_. 

Jongin was well aware that it wasn't what Chanyeol had called it when he suggested they hung out last night, but the fact that he hadn’t mentioned wanting to invite the others made it seem like just that in Jongin’s mind. 

Now, Jongin was stuck trying to tamp down his excitement on his drive over lest Chanyeol saw him and teased him for being a big ol’ softie. 

After their dinner and brief text conversation the previous night, Jongin had quickly realized that things were okay between them. He still felt silly for even doubting that Chanyeol would be anything but eager to see him and hang out like old times and Jongin would be lying if he said he had not gone to sleep thinking about how great it would be to have Chanyeol back permanently. Deep down Jongin knew these thoughts would only lead to disappointment once his friend left, but he couldn’t stop the giddiness he felt, so he was letting himself get carried away for the time being.

Despite his best efforts to seem cool and collected, he couldn’t stop the excitement from coloring his face when he arrived at Chanyeol’s house. Contrary to what he thought, Chanyeol did not comment on his friend’s mushiness. He was too busy running up to meet him and crushing him in a warm embrace to notice the way Jongin was looking at him and trying to fit his smaller frame in Chanyeol’s arms.

“Aghh— I know we just saw each other last night, but I’m so happy to see you again.” Chanyeol said smiling sheepishly after releasing Jongin from the tight embrace in favor of letting him pull out of his parent’s driveway. 

Jongin smiled trying hard not to let his friend see that his feelings were very much the same.  
“Oh, is that so? I couldn’t tell from the hug.” 

“Shut up. I know you missed me too. It’s okay to be shy, Jonginnie. I know my charming personality is addictive, but you don’t need to be a meanie to get my attention. You already have me all to yourself today.” Chanyeol cocked his head and gave Jongin his most disarming dimpled smile as he waited for Jongin’s reaction only to remind him to keep his eyes on the road when Jongin turned his attention to trying to hit him for the cheeky comment. 

“Ugh, you know I’m not so sure this was a good idea. I’m pulling over and leaving you stranded in the middle of LA. Use your _charms_ to find your way back home, creep.”

“No, okay I’ll stop, I’ll stop. Promise.” 

True to his word, Chanyeol managed to distract himself picking out songs from Jongin’s playlist and singing cheerfully to every song for the rest of their short drive. Jongin listened to his friend and joined whenever a song he liked came on. It was a comfortable ride despite the heavy traffic and soon, they were pulling up at the museum parking lot. 

They walked up to the entrance and purchased their tickets. It was still early, so after waiting behind a few families with little ones running about eager to explore the museum, they got their tickets and made their way inside.

The Natural History Museum had been one of Chanyeol’s favorite places to visit as a child, so it was no surprise when he all but dragged Jongin towards the first exhibition, eager to talk about all the taxidermy animals on display. 

Jongin had never visited this museum, mainly because the thought of seeing animals stuffed and displayed for people’s enjoyment made him sad, but he let Chanyeol drag him in nevertheless.

The first exhibition featured North American mammals. Jongin was following Chanyeol as he gave him a guided tour pausing to talk animatedly about every single animal. For a history nerd, Chanyeol really seemed to know his fair share about science as well. After all, Chanyeol had always been passionate about many subjects, animals included. He was just the type of person that could pick up a book and learn the ins and outs of a subject, then turn and give his educated opinion without coming off as a know-it-all. He was patient when explaining things and had a way of making every person he talked to interested in what he had to say. 

As they made their way around the room, Jongin tried to focus on what Chanyeol had to say and not on the fact that his friend looked so good in his casual outfit of jeans and a green button up that complemented the rich brown of his eyes. The whole look screamed boyfriend and Jongin had to stop himself from staring at how the shirt stretched across Chanyeol’s chest as he gestured with his hands while talking. He had mostly succeeded at keeping his attention on Chanyeol until they came across the grizzly bears.

Jongin was not ready for the sight of the big fluffy bears staring back at him. He ran towards them mesmerized at their size as Chanyeol followed, clearly amused by his friend finally showing excitement about being at the museum. They stayed there for a few more minutes, Jongin gushing and cooing at the bears in front of him before moving to the next exhibition. 

This time, they explored the Mammals of Africa. Chanyeol resumed talking about every single animal, capturing the attention of others around them who were eager to listen to Chanyeol’s explanations as well. Families with their young kids listened as Chanyeol talked about the different species of mammals found in the exhibition. Jongin stood on the side and listened as people asked questions and got to know a little more about the animals they saw. It wasn’t until Chanyeol turned and made eye contact with an amused Jongin that he realized he had gotten so caught up in answering questions that he had forgotten all about his friend. After a few minutes, Chanyeol politely excused himself and made is way back to Jongin with apologies slipping from his lips as soon as he was within earshot of his friend. Jongin dismissed his apologies and grabbed him by the arm to lead him to the next exhibition.

They got on with their visit, skipping the Hall of Birds when Jongin complained that he drew the line at taxidermy birds. He could handle the bigger animals, but the birds were scary with their beady eyes and sharp beaks. Chanyeol made a point to call Jongin a baby but he didn’t force him to go through the exhibit, instead choosing to head straight to his favorite part of the museum: The Dinosaur Hall.

The Dinosaur Hall was a two-story section filled with 20 skeletons of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. It even had an area where you could touch some of the bones and get a feel for their sharp teeth. 

If Jongin thought Chanyeol had been excited before, he was not prepared for Chanyeol outright losing his cool when he spotted the fossils, almost running into a few families in his haste to reach the hall and causing everyone in his path to move out of the way in hopes of avoiding a collision. 

Jongin was torn between following Chanyeol to stop him from causing an accident and pretending he had nothing to do with Chanyeol and leaving him to look like an excited puppy running around around the hall pointing at things and attracting everyone’s attention. He eventually settled for following Chanyeol and stopping him from getting himself kicked out from the museum for good. He got a hold of Chanyeol and made him pose in front of every dinosaur, then listened as his friend rambled on about his memories of visiting the museum with his dad. He clearly had a lot of fond memories of the place, so Jongin was glad to have been the one to share this visit with him. Although it had not been as special for him as it was for Chanyeol, he had enjoyed exploring the museum with his best friend.

After roaming around the rest of the rooms, they made a quick stop at the gift shop for a souvenir to commemorate their visit. Chanyeol predictably insisted that they needed matching dinosaur keychains and Jongin had no choice but to agree only because Chanyeol’s puppy eyes paired with his bright smile were very hard to resist.

At the end of their visit, Chanyeol dragged Jongin to the gardens and they walked around for a bit before Chanyeol stopped and looked straight at Jongin excitedly.

“This area is nice. Let’s take a picture!” He dragged Jongin to a bench away from the sun and tried to find the perfect angle to show the background. This turned out to be a difficult task because the angle was a little awkward with Chanyeol trying to stretch his arm as far as he could to capture the perfect shot. 

After a few failed attempts, Jongin laughed and grabbed the phone from Chanyeol’s sweaty palm. “You’re taking too long. Let me try.” Chanyeol gave him his best pout before laughing and facing the camera once more. They didn’t bother trying to capture a full view of the gardens this time, content with getting their faces and tagging the museum to post on their social media. 

After sitting for a while, they chose to head out to look for a lunch spot. The walk back to the car was quiet, both of them enjoying looking around and watching young couples walking hand in hand or the occasional family clustering around a map trying to decide where to go next.

Once they reached the car, they decided to hit up their favorite Korean barbecue restaurant. With that settled, Chanyeol went back to fiddling with Jongin’s phone looking for songs and singing to his heart’s content as they made their way to Koreatown. 

It was a short drive from the museum and they soon arrived at the restaurant parking lot. 

As they waited for a table, they started reminiscing about the times back in college when they used to frequent this restaurant on Friday nights and complain about work and school.

“How long has it been since we were last here, Jonginnie?” Chanyeol was looking around the restaurant trying to commit every detail to memory. It had been at least four years since they had last been there, but everything was still the same down to the framed newspaper clippings and soju posters. It was like taking a trip down memory lane.

“I don’t know, but I really missed this place.” 

Jongin had stopped frequenting the restaurant after Chanyeol left. He kept telling himself that it was because he didn’t trust himself to cook the meat right since the task had always fallen to Chanyeol who was much better at cooking than himself, but the truth was that it felt wrong to visit the place without his friend. This had been one of their favorite spots, the place where they drank away their worries and enjoyed each other’s company. It was a special place to Jongin and he didn’t want to taint those memories by coming and being sad about his friend’s departure. So, it was only natural that he didn’t return after Chanyeol’s big move.

But, they were there now and Jongin was ready to enjoy a meal with his friend and catch up with his life like old times.

After they got seated, they made small talk, pausing to enjoy the side dishes as they waited for the meat to cook. Chanyeol took care to make sure the meat was thoroughly cooked before filling Jongin’s plate and serving himself a few pieces. 

“Wait, why are you giving me all the meat?” Jongin complained and tried to take some pieces off his plate to give to Chanyeol, but he stopped him before Jongin could drop the meat on his plate.

“I like to see you eat, Jonginnie.” He said smiling and looking at Jongin with an endeared expression. “Besides, you said you missed this place, so I’m just making sure you get your fill of meat. Don’t worry about me.” With that, Chanyeol went back to grilling meat, adding more meat to his plate on the next round to prevent Jongin from complaining about unequal meat distribution again. Jongin noticed, and tried hard not to laugh at his friend for worrying about upsetting him by overfeeding him. It was cute to see Chanyeol so focused on the task of grilling but still looking up every so often to keep up with their conversation. 

After a few more rounds of meat, they settled the bill, Chanyeol insisting on paying saying he had been the one to invite Jongin out in the first place. Jongin eventually agreed to let him get the bill but made Chanyeol promise to allow him to pay for dessert later. 

Dessert turned out to be iced tea at a local coffee shop after walking around the area for a while. They hadn’t been in the mood for anything too sweet because the food was still sitting heavy in their stomachs, so they had settled for something refreshing to help them digest. 

They perused a few stores as they waited for the food to go down, stopping by a small used bookshop to let Jongin pick out a few books to add to his library before deciding to call it a day and driving back to Jongin’s apartment to rest.

Jongin had been worried about asking Chanyeol to come over. He didn’t want his friend to feel obligated to spend more time with him, but his worries had quickly been put to rest when Chanyeol happily agreed and followed Jongin back to the car to make their way home before they hit traffic. 

Back at Jongin’s apartment, Chanyeol only stopped at the door to remove his shoes before walking straight to Jongin’s couch and crashing with a loud grunt.

“Aghh, I didn’t realize how tired I was. I think all the walking made me sleepy.”

“I know. Were not as young as we used to be. I think eating all that meat was probably too much for our old bodies to handle.” Jongin chuckled before joining Chanyeol on the couch, sitting on the armrest waiting for Chanyeol to make room. 

“Hey, speak for yourself, gramps.” He said sitting up and letting Jongin slide down to join him on the couch. “I’m only tired because I had to follow you around the bookshop and wait for you to make up your mind about which books to buy.” Despite his words, his face and tone made it clear he hadn’t really minded waiting for Jongin.

“I’m sorry, how do you want me to make it up to you?” Jongin said nevertheless. He was sure Chanyeol was not serious, but he couldn’t help wondering if his friend would be so willing to hang out a second time if he didn’t make their outings worth his time. 

Jongin had changed a lot these past four years. He had no idea if Chanyeol had noticed, but he wasn’t the same lively boy who was content to follow Chanyeol around to explore dive bars and seedy clubs till odd hours of the night. His days were quieter, and although he knew this was a normal part of getting older, it didn’t seem like Chanyeol had changed at all. Maybe he would soon realize Jongin was no longer fun to be around, and would start avoiding him till he returned to D.C. 

“You know I’m kidding, Jonginnie. But, if you really want to make it up to me, you can make some popcorn while I look for something good for us to watch.” 

“Fine, but nothing too sad. I’m too full to be emotional right now.” He glared at Chanyeol for a moment before getting up to make the popcorn in the kitchen. As he walked away, he heard Chanyeol chuckle before picking up the remote to browse Netflix. 

He returned to find Chanyeol waiting for him with a movie pulled up. Jongin had forgotten how much Chanyeol enjoyed romantic comedies, but he couldn’t deny it had been a good choice of movie. It was easy to follow and entertaining enough to keep him focused on the screen and not on how close he was to Chanyeol. 

It was still weird to sit next to him after all this time, but Jongin had relaxed and let himself lean on Chanyeol’s shoulder, the latter accommodating by leaning back and staying put to let Jongin rest his head comfortably. 

Once the credits started rolling, Jongin turned to notice Chanyeol was starting to fall asleep, but he wasn’t ready to part ways with him just yet. 

“You should stay the night. I can drive you back home tomorrow after breakfast if you want.”

“Aww, are we having a sleepover? I’m down.”

“Sure, if you want to call it that.” Jongin laughed at Chanyeol’s comment, but he was happy it hadn’t taken much to convince him to stay. He was already being greedy with Chanyeol’s time. What was a few more hours anyway. 

They got up from the couch and made their way to the bedroom to wash up before bed. Jongin showered first, leaving Chanyeol to browse Instagram before returning and looking for a fresh set of clothes for Chanyeol to change into. 

While Chanyeol left to wash up, Jongin looked for a fresh set of sheets and prepped the bed for Chayeol.

When Chanyeol returned, already changed and ready for bed, Jongin offered to take the couch, but Chanyeol was having none of that.

That’s how the two friends snuggled up on Jongin’s bed and chit chatted about the day before they succumbed to sleep, tired from all the excitement of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, again! 
> 
> This chapter was entirely based on my visit to the NHM a few weeks back. I tried to think of everything I saw to make their hang out more realistic, so I hope it made it enjoyable to read.
> 
> Thanks again for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> If you made it here, thank you again for taking a moment to read this story. 
> 
> p.s. Not betaed, so feel free to point out any errors. Thank you :)


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